


Beginnings

by soongtypeprincess



Series: Married Coppers [13]
Category: Life on Mars (UK)
Genre: Cute, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Happy, M/M, Nonmonogamous Relationship, Polyamory, Post-Series, Pregnancy, Surrogacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 15:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14718479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soongtypeprincess/pseuds/soongtypeprincess
Summary: Annie is five months pregnant and is a bit worried that the baby hasn't moved.





	Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> As pointed out in the summary of the first story in this series, Annie is a surrogate for Sam and Gene (with Gene being the biological father). I wanted to write something with pregnant Annie being awesome, cuz she is. :)
> 
> This is a fluffy, happy fic, so if you need to feel better... <3

Sam took another pillow from the sofa and placed it on the ottoman and under Annie’s bare feet. He heard her sigh and saw her amused grin. “What?” he asked.

“I think I’ve enough pillows, Sam,” she said. “My feet can’t get any higher.”

“Better they be higher than swollen,” he remarked. “You’re on your feet a lot, in fact.”

“It’s part of my job, Sam.”

“Well, maybe you should stay at your desk.”

“Are you telling me as my lover or as my DI?”

“Annie, please,” Sam groaned.

“Leave her alone, Gladys,” Gene said as he entered the sitting room with two cups of tea. He handed one of them to Annie with a grin. “There you are, love,” he told her, “milk and one sugar.”

“Mmm,” she moaned as she took a quick sip. “Guv, I take three sugars.”

“Sam told me one.”

“Oh, Sam, you did it again!”

He sighed as he looked at them. “Three sugars is too much.”

“Samuel, you will  _ not  _ take sugar out of my tea,” she declared. “The doctor said that a little sugar a day is fine, and I only have it in my tea.”

Gene laughed. “Take it easy, Cartwright. He won’t do it again. Will you, Sam?” 

“No,” Sam said. “Annie, I’m sorry, but...you said you were worried since the baby wasn’t moving around and that it should be by now and I thought...well, I was only thinking of the baby.”

Her expression softened as she smiled again. “Oh, darling,” she said, “ you needn’t worry. The doctor said that I can expect to feel movement in the second trimester and I’m only five months along. But, believe me, the baby’s there.” She motioned to her rotund belly. “I’m taking care and I know my body’s limits...even  _ with _ the extra weight.”

“You look radiant, petal,” Gene said as he sat in his recliner.

“Ta,” she replied before taking another sip of tea. She then set the cup gently on her five-months pregnant belly and looked around the sitting room. “The place is starting to look quite cozy now.”

“Still have to move a few things out of the old house,” Gene said, “and the upstairs isn’t finished, but, yeah, it’s not too shabby.”

“What he means is ‘thank you,’” Sam said. He cast a glance at Gene and saw that he was smiling at him, and Sam smiled back before going into the kitchen to pour his tea.

They had only moved into the new house two weeks ago. It wasn’t anything extravagant; a quaint two-story fixture in the cul-de-sac of a short street, barely a ten minute drive to the station. It was a red-brick home with a one-car garage, the door of which needed to be repainted along with the weathered window shutters. The front door had just been given a coat of fresh paint and Gene spent most of his free time, when he had it, mending the fence in the backyard.

He and Sam were once living in his house he had shared with his now ex-wife, and when Annie announced that she was finally pregnant, it was decided that the Hunt house should be sold. Gene didn’t want to raise a child in a house full of old and painful memories. 

Gene spoke to the owner of the new house over the phone as soon as they found the advertisement in the paper. After negotiating a price for quite a while with the owner, Gene and Sam agreed that they would only buy it once the old house was secured to be bought, but that was taking ages. They hadn’t even begun the process in getting a loan from the bank.

One morning, after they had finished their breakfast of sausage butties, sitting in the Cortina, Gene wadded up the food wrapper and chucked it to the floor. He gripped the wheel and started the car, driving off down the street without a word. 

Sam didn’t question him; he knew they were driving by the house again, as they usually did every morning after breakfast, only this time, when they pulled into the driveway and parked, Gene turned off the car and got out.

Sam gave him a confused look. The house was empty, yes, but the property wasn’t theirs just yet and here was Gene, walking up to the door as if it were his own. 

Gene stopped on the front step and looked back at him, waving for him to come with him. Sam wrapped his sandwich and tossed it onto the dashboard before clambering out of the car. He trotted up to meet him and he stopped short when Gene pulled a key from his trouser pocket. He watched, his heart beating faster, as Gene inserted the key and unlocked the house.

“It’s ours now, Sammy,” he announced to his stunned partner.

“We...Gene, we…” Sam was at a loss for words, but he cleared his throat and stepped closer. “We still have to wait on the loan, Gene. We don’t have the down payment for the house either and also--”

“I paid the first deposit on the house a week ago, love,” Gene said, “and the first two months’ mortgage. We can pay off most of it after me old house is sold, but we’re set now, Sam. This is officially our house.”

Sam was still confused. “But...where did you get the money so quickly?” His heart skipped. “Oh, God...Gene...please tell me this isn’t...you didn’t do any favors, did you?”

Gene only grinned and took his hand. “Come on,” he whispered.

Sam didn’t protest when he was guided inside the house since he had been in it before, but it felt different this time, knowing it was theirs. He heard the door shut behind them and he looked around the empty sitting room, but he eventually turned back to Gene to continue his questioning, until Gene explained himself.

“You’re right, Tyler,” he said, “I did quite a few favors for the money.”

Sam sighed and shut his eyes. “Oh, Gene.”

“But that was years ago. The money was put into my hands, but it never went further than that.”

Sam opened his eyes. “What do you mean?” There was a quiet moment before Sam realized it. “All the back-handers...you never spent that money, did you?”

Gene slowly shook his head. “Never. I kept it, yeah, but...never spent so much as a penny.” He stepped closer to him. “Not even the wife knew about it. I kept it in a metal box inside my old gun safe. I knew she would never look in there; she hated guns. And there the money sat, even as it piled up. And then...I met you and...I made a promise to stop taking them. But I kept the money I already had, thinking there would be something to put it toward eventually...and…” He stopped and looked away. He cleared his throat. “I debated about using dirty money on this house, but...this is a new beginning, yeah? So why not? Look at it as...penance.”

Sam put his hands on Gene’s cheeks and gave him a loving kiss. Gene pulled him closer and they embraced. Sam put his chin on Gene’s shoulder. “Lord, Guv,” he whispered. “I can’t believe it. We have a house.”

Gene grinned. “That we do, Sammy.”

Sam pulled away and looked into his eyes. “You bought us a house,” he giggled. 

“Okay, Gladys, don’t start,” he laughed as he stroked Sam’s cheek, his dark eyes growing bright with tears. “Perhaps I shouldn’t show you what’s upstairs. You’ll flood us out.”

“Well, now you have to show me!” Sam said, playfully pushing his shoulder.

He followed Gene up the stairs and into the first room on the right, the second bedroom. Sam pushed back the door and gasped, leaning against the wall. “Oh, Guv,” his voice cracked. “When did you do this?”

Gene joined his side to look at the yellow crib that stood in the corner of the room. “Every chance I was able to get out of the station without you following me like a tiny duckling,” he said, “I came here and put this together. Painted it meself. Been thinking of what color to paint the walls and…” He paused and took a deep breath, slowly exhaling it as he put his hands on his hips. “This is really happening,” he whispered as his smile returned.

Sam leaned into him again and Gene put his arm around him.

That was weeks ago, and as Gene had told Annie, there was still lots of work to be done to the upstairs, but the crib was soon joined by a light blue dresser, a bassinet, and a rocking chair that was once owned by Gene’s mum, who gave it to them for the nursery. “I used to rock my boys to sleep in this chair,” she had told Sam, “so it’s only fitting that I pass it along to one of them.”

Annie shifted in her chair, catching the attention of the both of them, to which she giggled. “I’m alright, lads,” she assured them. “Just don’t want my arse to get numb.”

“Glamourous as always,” Gene muttered.

Annie raised her teacup to her lips, but suddenly flinched with a soft, “Oh!”

Sam and Gene straightened in their seats, watching her. Sam put down his tea and knelt beside her. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice slightly shaking.

She didn’t answer, but simply put her hand on her belly and set her teacup down on the side table. Annie stared straight ahead, past Sam, and concentrated on the brown-orange hue of the shag carpet as she tried to find what made her jump.

“Annie,” came Gene’s voice, “are you alright, love?”

Annie’s hand drifted around her belly until she felt it.

A soft kick.

She let out a quiet laugh. “The baby…” she said, finally. “I feel the baby.” 

Gene’s eyes widened as he watched her. “You mean...it kicked?”

“Yeah!” she said in a loud joyful voice, her eyes filling with tears. “It kicked! Oh my goodness, Guv...Sam…” She began to cry, tears of relief and joy mixed with giggles.

Gene put down his tea and stood from his chair. He approached her as she moved her legs from the ottoman. Gene knelt beside Sam, in front of her, and reached a hand to her. “May I?” he asked.

Annie laughed again. “Of course!” She took his hand and placed it on her belly, and then took Sam’s hand, although it was clear that Sam was in a daze as he looked up at the pure elation in her face. She leaned back, resting her elbows on the arms of the chair as she watched them keep their hands in place, waiting for the slightest movement.

Suddenly, a tiny foot laid a kick right in the middle of Gene’s palm. He jumped slightly and laughed, looking at Sam. “Oh my God,” he said. “That was quite a hit!” He took Sam’s hand and placed it on the spot his own was. “Wait for it,” he said, covering Sam’s hand with his.

Sam was still staring at Annie, watching her watch them, happy tears streaming down her face. He was brought out of his devotional reverie when he felt the kick under his own palm. He sighed loudly and covered his mouth with his other hand as tears suddenly fell from his eyes. “Oh, Annie…” he whispered, weeping. “Annie, thank you…” 

“Oh, Sammy,” she giggled, “no need.”

“What do you mean ‘no need?’” Gene interjected. “You’re carrying our child! We’re not doing anything but sitting on the floor in a fucking puddle of his tears.”

This made Sam laugh and he leaned against Gene, who kissed his forehead, their hands still resting on Annie’s belly.

They sat in silence and the kicking subsided. Annie sniffed and wiped her cheeks. “Oh, dear,” she sighed, “now that she’s moving around, she probably won’t stop.”

Gene and Sam looked up at her, their eyes wide again. “She?” Gene asked. 

Annie tried to hide her grin but she failed. “Oops,” she said, “I was going to surprise you later, but...yeah. It’s a girl.”

Sam blinked and pulled his hand away, standing up with a glowing smile. “A girl?” he asked, walking into the kitchen.

Gene was at a loss for words, but looked at his partner curiously. “You off, then?” he quipped, making Annie burst out laughing.

Sam turned back to them and ran his fingers through his hair. “Oh my...God...it’s a girl!” he exclaimed. “Guv, we’re gonna have a girl!”

“I know, love,” Gene said, his eyes growing brighter as he smiled at Sam. 

Suddenly, Sam gasped. “Oh, Lord, we need to tell your mum!” He paced back and forth between the kitchen and sitting room, Annie suppressing her giggles as she watched him. “Where the bloody hell’s the phone?” 

“Where it’s always been, Sam,” Gene said, pointing to the table by the sofa.

“Get up and call her, then!” 

“I can’t...really get up right now.”

“Why not?” Annie asked, giving him a funny look.

“I suddenly forgot how to walk,” Gene laughed, putting his face in his hands. “Arrgh, blimey! It’s a girl!” 

Annie chortled once more. “You two are ridiculous!”

“Sam, bring me the phone,” Gene ordered him through another fit of giggling. “I really don’t want to get up.”

Sam picked up the phone and brought it closer to Annie’s chair and set it next to him. Gene picked up the receiver and was about the turn the dial, but paused. “Shit,” he cursed, “what’s her number?”

Annie cackled. “Oh, dear Lord!”

“You forgot your own mother’s number??” Sam asked.

“There are other things on me mind right now, Sam!”

Sam went to the roll-top desk and shuffled papers around until he found Gene’s address book. He found Gwendolyn’s number and dialed it for him.

It rang on the other end three times before she picked up. “Hello?” she answered.

“Hi, Mum.”

“Hello, Gene! How are you?”

“It’s a girl,” he blurted out. 

“What now?”

“It’s a girl, Mum,” Gene said again. “A wee baby girl.”

Silence on the other end until his mother suddenly shrieked. “Are you serious??”

They all heard her reaction and Annie started to cry again. “Yeah, Mum,” Gene told her. “She’s a kicker, too.” He paused to listen to her, knowing she was crying tears of happiness. “Yeah, Annie’s fine. She’s here; she just spilled the beans. Yeah, alright.” He handed Annie the phone. “She wants to say a few things.”

Annie smiled and took the phone as Gene finally stood up and Sam instantly pulled him to his lips. Gene put his arms around him and squeezed him as his eyes began to burn. “I need air,” he said, pulling away and walking through the kitchen and out the back door.

Sam followed him and found him looking at the fence that still needed more mending. Gene had heard him come outside and turned to him. They stared at one another, both of them wearing a grin, Sam’s cheeks tear-stained and Gene’s eyes still bright.

Gene shook his head, laughed, and clapped his hands together. “It’s happening,” he said. Sam approached him and hugged him again. “You’re gonna be a great dad, Sammy.”

Sam kissed him again. “You too, Guv,” he said, wiping his cheek.

They held each other a moment and Gene looked into Sam’s eyes. “She’s gonna play football with a kick like that.”

Sam laughed. “I can’t wait to take her to games. Just like me dad did with me. She’s gonna look so adorable in her red shirt.”

Gene huffed. “I think blue is more her color.”

“I think a red and white scarf would look quite good draped over her crib,” Sam said, ignoring him.

Gene squeezed him tighter. “Don’t make me take back my ‘good dad’ remark, Gladys.”

“In fact, maybe I should hang a banner on her wall.”

He felt fingers tickle his ribs and he guffawed. “Okay, Guv! No banner, I promise!"


End file.
